Hand throttle for automobiles



July 16, 1940. E. J. TATE HAND THROTTLE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Jan. 8,1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ventor A itorneys July 16, 1940. E J, TATE2,207,954

HAND THROTTLE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Jan. 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aiiforneys Patented July 16, 1940 UNlTEDfS'l'ATES rarer osicE.

HAND THROTTLE Fon AUTOMOBILES Everett Joseph Tate, Seattle, Wash.

Application January 8, 1940, Serial No. 312,976

trol the speed of the engine by the hand when starting the automobile ona hill or grade allowwith a hand throttle constructed in accordance withmy invention. 30 2 is a top plan View, partly in section,

' the present invention adapted thereto.

Figure 3 is a. fragmentary longitudinal sectional I view illustrating amodified form .of the present invention.

modification of the present invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numera1 5 indicates a steeringpost of anautomobile to which'is secured'the hub 6 of a steering wheelThe steering wheel includes the usual annular rim 8 connected to the hub6 by spokes 9.

Surrounding the steering'postand spaced therefrom isa steering postcolumn Hi. The parts referred to are conventional in an automobile 45construction and to which the present invention.

is adapted.

A block I l is secured on the steering post 5 within the column l0 andengaging therewith is a, sleeve-type bearing l2 having s'lidable contact50 with the column and includes an end wall l3 at oneend and an inwardlydirected'flang'e or track M at the opposite end. Throttle rods I5 areslidable through the block H and are connected with the-end wall l3 ofthe sleeve bearing and'ex- 55 tend downwardly in the column and passexing the feet to be free for the operation of theillustrating thesteering wheel with a portion of Figure 4 is a side elevationillustrating the closing the throttle of the engine and as the teriorlythereof, as. shown at it, and are secured to a band or sleeve l1slidably mounted on the exterior of the column. The throttle rods l5extend outwardly of the column below; the. floor board indicated by thecharacter IS. The lower 5 ends of the throttle rods are connected tocoil w springs I 9 which are in turn anchored to' the column It} asshown at 2,0, and act to urge the 1 I bearing sleeve in engagement withthe block II and the latter acts as a stop for limiting the 10 d0wnwardmovement of the bearing sleeve as. well as the throttle rods under theinfluence of the springs i9. An extension. 2| is formed on the sleeve lland is apertured to permit the usual throttle rod ofthe carbureterlofthe engine "of the automobile to be fastened thereto and when. 1 thesleeve is in its lowermost position'under the influence of the springsIS the throttle will be substantially closed. V x k The hub 5 of thesteeringwheel is provided with an opening 22 in which is slidablymounted'a rod 23 and the latter enters the bearing sleeve by way of theflanged endfthereof. and is provided with an oilset lower end on whichis journaled a I roller 24tha-t rides on the flange l4v of the bear- 25ing sleeve. The other" end of the rod 23 is con-;,, nected to a flexibleelement'25 and the latter is secured to and wound on a grooved pulley 26se- 'cured to the inner end of a hand grip 21 The hand grip is in theshape of a spoke of the steer- 30 ing wheel and has its outer endjournaled'in the rim '8 of the steering wheel while its inner end isjournaled in the hub .A can 28 is carriedby the steering wheel hubandencloses the pulley and flexible element 25. Instead of employing thepulley 26, a crank arm- 29 may be secured to'the hand grip 2! and havethe flexible element 25 connected thereto'or if desired, a rod (notshown) may be substituted for the flexible element by having the rodpivotally connected to the crank arm and fastenedto therod 23. I i Inoperation, the driver may rotate the handgrip 21 in one direction topull upwardly on the throttle rods I5 and thereby bring about Opehmof'the throttle of the engine of the auto- 4 mobile. A reverse rotationof the hand "grip will bring about closing of the throttleof the engine.The springs act to urge the throttle rods l5 downwardlyor towards theposition of throttle-rods move downwardly they move the bearing sleeve12 therewith until the latter engages the block ll. As the bearingsleeve moves downwardly the rod 23 moves therewith bringing about thereverse rotation of the hand grip; 55

Thus it will be seen that when the throttle is open and held in thatposition by a person gripping the hand grip 21 the throttle may beallowed to close by simply releasing the hand grip.

A coil spring 30 surrounds the rod and seats against the hub at one endand its opposite end in a cup-shaped Washer 3i pinned 0n the rod. Thisspring also tends to move the rod 23 downwardly and the hand grip in areverse direction or in the direction of closing the throttle of theengine.

From the foregoing description it willbe seen that a simple and emcienthand throttle has been provided for an automobile wherein the hand gripis'located on the steering wheel and simulates one of the spokes of thesteering wheel so that the driver when desiring to -control the speed ofthe engine of the automobile by hand may do so by rotating the hand gripin one direction and to slow down the speed it is only necessary topermit the .reverse rotationof the hand grip as gradual .as desiredunder the influence of the springs sl9 and 39.

It is believed that the'foregoing description, when taken in connectionwith the drawings Will :fully set forth the construction and advantagesof this invention to those skilled in the art to which .such a devicerelates, so that further detailed description will not be required.

I spokes with one of said spokes rotating mounted in the rim and hub toform a hand grip of a throttle, and means for connecting the hand'grip.to a throttle =ofan automobile for the control of I the latter.

hearing sleeve slida'bly .mounted in .a

:-said column, throttle rodsconnected to said bearingsleeveand extendingoutwardly of the column,

tension imeans-connected to said throttle rods for urging them in onedirection,-a:stop mounted in said column for limiting the movement .ofthe throttle rods under the influence of said spring -means, means forconnecting the throttle rods to a throttle of an'automobile, a hand griprotatably mounted on the steering wheel, and

means conne ting the hand grip to the bearing sleeve for impartingsliding movement in an opposite direction by the rotation of said handgrip,

4. In combination with a steering mechanism including a steering wheelhaving a hub and a steering post'connected to-said hub and a column forsaid steering post, a bearing sleeve slidable :in said column, throttlerods connected to said bearing sleeve and extending outwardly of thecolumn, tension means connected to said throttle rods for urging them inone direction, a stop 7 mounted in said column for limiting the move-'ment of the throttle rods under the influence of roller carried by saidrod and engaging the track, a hand grip journaled on thesteering wheel,and

means for connecting said hand'gripto said rod. 5. In combination with asteering mechanism including a steering wheel havinga hub and a 10steering post connected to said hub anda column for said steering post,a bearing sleeve slidable in said column, throttle rods connected tosaid bearing sleeve and extending outwardly of the column, tension meansconnected to said throttle 15 rods for urging them in one direction, astop mounted in said column for limiting the movement of the throttlerods under the influence of saidv spring means, means for connecting thethrottle rods to a throttle of an automobile, a 20 hand grip rotatablymounted on the steering wheel, a rod slidable in the hub and enteringthe 5 bearing sleeve, a track on said bearing sleeve, a

roller carried by said rod and engaging the track,

a hand grip journaled on the steering wheel, a 25' grooved pulleysecured to thehand grip, and a flexible element secured to said rod andwound on and secured to said pulley.

6. In combination with a steering mechanism including a steering Wheelhaving a hub and a'30 steering post oonected to said hub and a columnfor said steering post, a bearingsleeve slidable in said column,throttle rods connected to sai-dbearurging them in one directiomla stopmounted in said column for limiting the movement of the throttle rodsunder the influence of said spring means means for connecting thethrottle rods to a throttle of an automobile, a hand grip rotatably 40mounted on the steering wheel, a rod slidablc in the hub and enteringthe bearing sleeve, a track on said bearing sleeve, a roller carried bysaid rod and engaging the track, a hand grip jour ing sleeve andextending outwardly of the column, tension means connected to saidthrottle rods for"35 naled on the steering wheel, va crank arm se- 45cured .to the hand grip, means for connecting the crank arm to said rod.

'7. In combination with a steering mechanism including a steering wheelhaving -a hub and a for saidsteering post, a bearing sleeve slidable insaid column, throttle rods connected .to said bearing sleeve andextending outwardly of the column, tension. means connected to saidthrottle mounted in said column for limiting the movementof the throttlerods under the influence of said spring means, means for connecting thethrottle rods to a throttle of an automobile, a

steering post-connected to saidhub and a column5o rods for urging themin one direction, a stop =55 hand grip rotatably mounted on thesteering- 0 wheel, a rod slidable in the hub and entering a spring,mounted on said rod and having one end bearing against said hub, acupped washer pinned on said rod and engaged by the other end of thespring to maintain the roller in riding I contact with the track of, thebearing sleeve.

EVERETT JOSEPH TATE.

wheel, a crank arm secured to the hand grip, 5 means for connecting thecrank arm to said rod,

